Shoe sole



May 17, 1949. 1. D. WALLACH 7 2,470,200

' SHOE SOLE Filed April 4, 1946 INVENTOR P141171! Walla [k BY [Cw-1 I'M ATTORNEYS Patented May 17, 1949 SHOE SOLE Irving D. Wallach, Port Washington, N. Y., as-

signor to Associated Development & Research Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 4, 1946, Serial No. 659,605

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improved footwear, and particularly to an improved sole for a sport shoe.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide an attractive sport or play shoe having a thick sole which is nevertheless completely flexible and comfortable under foot.

It is another object of the invention to provide a shoe in which the sole portion consists of rigid blocks of material which may be as thick as desired, but which are so supported and affixed as to be completely comfortable to walk on.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a sport shoe in which the sole consists of a plurality of mutually articulated blocks which always return to the designed contours, keeping the shoe outline shapely.

It, is a. further object, of the invention to provide a heavy shoe sole which comprises individual transversely extending blocks mutually articulated by means of a flexible tie, and secured to a leather insole in such manner as to prevent or minimize the possibility of cracking of said in-- sole after long use of the shoe.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a shoe of the class described in which a sole comprising a plurality of articulated blocks can be completely assembled before the attachment of the sole to. the insole of the shoe.

It is an object of the invention to provide a shoe having an improved heel construction.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a shoe having a heel within which may 'be removably contained small articles such as lipstick, lighters, or the like.

Shoes of the clog'type, in which the sole comprises an unusually thick block of wood or other rigid material, are well-known. Some types of shoe have an inflexible one-piece wooden sole which must be specially contoured to make it possible for the wearer to walk comfortably. Other presently known clog or platform types of shoe depend upon a transverse slitting of the sole material in one or another positions to afford adegree of flexibility. The sole of such shoes is usually fastened to a flexible insole by adhesive. A practical disadvantage of such shoes is that-the insole-flexes or hinges along the very narrowline between adjacent elements-of the sole, and the insole will soon crack along this sharply defined hinge line.

Pursuant to the present invention, the sole comprises a pluralityof individual transversely extending segments which are mutually articulated by means of a spring or elastic member passing from one to the other of the segments. The respective segments are therefore primarily held in proper relationship one with the other by the spring and not by the insole. The insole is preferably fastened to the shoe sole by means of pins. or pegs which pass downwardly through the insole and into the sole elements, said pegs being preferably disposed along the center line of the associated sole piece. The spring allows complete separation of the sole segments anddoes not constrain hinging of the sole to any localized transverse line. Thus, the insole is not required to flex Or hinge along a sharply defined line and cracking of the insole is completely eliminated.

Another feature of the shoe embodyingthe present invention, which feature however can be advantageously applied to any shoe, is the formation of the heel with a straight front line of substantial length. In conventional shoes having the usually curved front heel line, the wearer gets the same sensation when his heel strikes the Davement in walking, regardless of whether he is toeing in or toeing out; Hence, if a wearer is pigeon-toed a conventional shoe will not in any way assist in the correction of this condition. Pursuant to the instant invention, however, the flat front heel line makes it immediately noticeable to the wearer if he does not walk properly, because there is a marked difference between striking the heel to the pavement at one or the other of therelatively sharp corners of the heel, as compared with the feeling when the flat line of the heel strikes the-pavement. Thus, the shoe is useful in correcting minor faults in walking and posture-habits.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter be described.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of a shoe embody ing the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the flexing of the sole and insole during walking;

Fig. 4 is a top'plan view ofthesole portion of the shoe pursuant to a second embodiment; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective of an accessory attachment for use with the shoe.

The drawings show so much of a shoe as is.v necessary for understanding of the invention. Therefore, the upper of the shoe has been eliminated, and it may be assumed that the shoe is of sandal typein which ribbons or'other tie means (not shown) are used to hold the shoe on the foot.

As shown, them-the shoe comprises a sole Ill;

3 a combined heel and shank porion II, and an insole l2. As shown, a forward extension of the shank portion forms the rear of the sole area; it is obvious that the heel may be a separate unit and the rear of the sole area may be an independent block member.

The sole is of the very heavy or platform type, and is preferably of Wood, although any other rigid and relatively inexpensive materials such as plastic blocks, light metals, molded compositions, etc., can be used.

The sole consists of a plurality, illustratively three, articulated blocks l4, l5, and I6, and a unitary structure l1 which comprehends the rear of the sole per se, the shank and heel. The toe block I4 is given an appropriate configuration, and has an upwardly curving upper surface l8. The intermediate blocks l5 and I6 may be of equal width and of such length as is appropriate to the shoe width. The blocks l4, l5 and It, as well as the forward edge of the structure 11, are suitably rounded along their transversely extending edges, for improvement in appearance and wear. It will be noted that the bottom surface of each said block and the forward portion of the structure I! are in a common plane to which the respective abutting side walls of the blocks are normal.

The accented vertical linesgive an illusion of shortness, and although a very high heel effect is present, the actual lifting of the heel above the toes is moderate and comfortable, due to the thickness of the sole pieces.

Extending through each of the blocks generally transversely thereof, are passages P which are in registry when the blocks are properly assembled. It will be seen from Figs. 1 and 2 that each passage commences at the shank and terminates at the front of the toe block. The respective passages at the toe block and shank are joined by an exposed channel C, C.

The blocks and shank structure are articulated by a spring, illustratively a coil spring 20, which may enter the passage P at the shank, pass successively through the blocks, then along the channel 0 of the toe block and rearwardly through the passage within the successive blocks to terminate again at the shank. The ends of the spring may be secured together, in which event the spring comprises an essentially oval structure, the rear portion of which is housed within the channel C extending transversely of the shank. Such channels, as will be apparent, tend to conceal the otherwise exposed portions of the spring and save the spring from damage or wear while the shoe is being worn. It will be noted from Fig. 2 that the side walls of the respective sole blocks and the forward surface of the shank section are Vertical, and that the line of the spring passage is normal to such vertical surfaces. Thus, when the spring contracts, it draws the component parts of the sole firmly and relatively solidly together; and, although the sole is inherently flexible, it is sufiiciently rigid to be easily handled during the manufacture of the complete shoe.

It will be appreciated that the lines of division between the respective sole portions have been exaggerated for purposes of clarity; actually the adjacent block surfaces are in contact.

After the sole has been assembled as aforesaid, the sole I 2 is applied thereto and is secured to the sole by nails or pins 21 which enter the respective sole elements at about their center line. The point of securement of the insole to the respective sole elements is at a location which is remote from the points at which the sole blocks separate when the sole is flexed during walking. In other words, and as shown in Fig. 3, there is no sharply defined hinge line along which the insole must continually flex and which therefore would eventually develop into a line of fracture or cracking. The insole flexes along what is substantially a continuous, easy curve. It has been found that the completed shoe sole is tor sionally flexible to a surprising degree. This is believed to be due to the single line securement of the blocks to the upper or inner sole I2.

If desired, although it is not at present considered a preferred method, the side walls of each sole block, and the front and rear walls respectively of the toe and shank blocks may be grooved to provide a continuous channel within which a continuous coil spring may be snapped to articulate the respective blocks.

Fig. 4 shows another method of articulating the shoe sole elements, by a pair of individual springs 22, 22 extending through suitable passages on either side of the longitudinal center line of the sole. Each passage has an open end at the toe and shank, respectively. In this construction it is assumed that each spring will be introduced into the passage at either end and pegged or otherwise secured therein, as at 24. The successive sole pieces are then threaded on to the pair of springs; when the shank portion is put on, the respective springs are stretched and a peg or plug 25 affixed thereto. When the tension is released, the contracting spring will draw the plug 25 into the passage at the shank end. The plugs are preferably sanded or otherwise shaped to conform to the curvature of the toe and shank portions. It is desirable to cement the plugs in place.

As shown in Fig, 1, the heel has a straight front bottom edge 30 of substantial length, as distinguished from the conventional substantially semi-circular front edge. The straight line makes it immediately noticeable to the wearer if she is not toeing properly when walking, for there is a very perceptible difference when the heel of the wearer strikes the pavement at one or the other of the relatively sharp-cornered extremities of the heel, as against the feel when the heel meets the pavement along the relatively long heel line 30. If the wearer toes in during walking, the inside corner of the heel will strike the pavement first, and the reverse will be true if there is an excessive toeing out. The wearer will soon, and without conscious effort, acquire proper walking habits.

An advantage of the seeming height of the heel is that it affords space for the accommodation of small articles such as a lipstick, tubular cigarette lighter or match safe, or the like. This is advantageous when the shoe is worn as a beach or bathing shoe and relieves the wearer of the necessity of carrying a bag or other means within which such articles are normally contained. A hole 3|, which may be as much as one and one-half inches in diameter in a shoe of normal size, extends transversely through the heel. A bullet catch 32 projects into the hole from any advantageous point. Figure 5 shows a tubular container 33 having any separable body and cap or cover, and of a diameter suitable to fit slidably but removably snugly within the hole. Said container may contain currency, lipstick, or the like. At a suitable point along the container, there is provided a peripheral notch or groove 34 to 00-.

operate with the nose of the bullet catch to removably hold the container within the opening. The container is thus always available for use, and yet is securely held against loss.

Although the invention has been described by making a fully detailed reference to certain presently preferred embodiments, such detail of description is to be understood in an instructive rather than a limiting sense, many changes being possible within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

I claim:

1. A shoe sole comprising a plurality of adjacent, transversely extending, thick blocks which are normally in wall-t'o-wall abutting relationship and which collectively define the complete sol-e area, the bottom surfaces of said blocks being in a common plane and the respective abutting walls being normal thereto, the top surfaces of said blocks collectively defining a concave surface; and spring means extending through said blocks from the shank portion thereof to the toe and being normal to the said abutting wall surfaces of said blocks, said spring means being substantially symmetrical with respect to the toeto-shank center line of the sole and secured at the ends thereof to articulate the respective blocks.

2. A shoe sole comprising a plurality of rigid, transversely extending, individual blocks which are normally in abutting relationship and a heel portion including a rigid, thick, shank member which extends forwardly into the sole area of the shoe, the bottom surface of each of said blocks and the said forward extension of the shank member being in a common plane and the top surfaces of said blocks collectively defining a concave surface rising relatively sharply at the toe, a passage through each of said blocks and said shank member extending longitudinally of the shoe sole, said passages being mutually regi-stering to define a continuous passage which is parallel with the shoe sole and perpendicular to the mutually adjacent side walls of the respective blocks; a spring extending through said passage, said spring being normally under tension and secured at its ends whereby resiliently to hold said blocks in articulated relationship one with the other; and a flexible insole disposed upon said sole-forming blocks and extending to the heel portion, said insole being secured to each of said blocks substantially only at the longitudinal center lines thereof.

3. A shoe sole comprising a plurality of short blocks arranged transversely of said sole and having fiat adjacent surfaces to present substantial areas of mutual contact; a shank portion having an extension forming the rear of the sole area and similarly presenting a flat forward surface, the bottoms of the said blocks and the forward portion of the shank portion being in a, common plane normal to the said adjacent, surfaces of said blocks and the tops of the blocks defining a concave surf-ace; passages through the forward portion of the shank portion and extending continuously to emerge at the front of the foremost block; and a spring extending through said passages and secured to the shank portion and to the foremost block, the line of said spring being parallel to said bottom plane and normal to the planes of the contacting surfaces of the respective blocks.

IRVING D. WALLACH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 922,499 Molitor May 25, 1909 1,085,254 Halley Jan. 27, 1914 1,751,069 Blain Mar. 18, 1930 2,221,132 Girardi Nov. 12, 1940 2,221,388 Sprovierl Nov. 12, 1940 2,305,410 Darragh Dec. 15, 1942 2,352,532 Ghez et al June 27, 1944 2,370,302 Ghez et al. Feb. 27, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 36,507 France Mar. 4, 1930 552,654 Great Britain Apr. 19, 1943 747,661 France Apr. 4, 1933 873,087 France Mar. 2, 1942 875,572 France June 29, 1942 

